Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Oh my ...

Just when you think Big Daddy's merry band of in-and-out mouthbreathers have finally hit rock bottom, they promptly begin to dig (emphasis all mine).

Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz unnerved some public servants at the height of the listeriosis crisis by resorting to gallows humour during a conference call about a public health scare that has now killed 17 people.

Ritz was also deeply concerned about the political fallout from the listeriosis crisis as the deadly disease claimed more victims in the days before the federal election was called, according to sources in on the crisis call last month.

But that concern apparently didn't stop Ritz from cracking wise while scientists, bureaucrats and political staff listened in on the Aug. 30th call. Sources who took notes during the call said Ritz fretted about the political dangers of the crisis, before quipping:

"This is like a death by a thousand cuts. Or should I say cold cuts."

The disease was linked to cold cuts from Maple Leaf Meats.

And when told about a new death in Prince Edward Island, Ritz said:

"Please tell me it's (Liberal MP) Wayne Easter."

Easter is the Liberal critic shadowing Ritz's Agriculture Department.

About 30 people participated in the Sunday morning conference call that began after 10 a.m. EDT. Participants included scientists, senior bureaucrats and political staff.

I wonder why I keep picturing Nero fiddling?

Hmmmmmmm ... I wonder what the Blogging Tories, those staunch defenders of civility, reasoned discourse, Mom and apple pie, have to say about Ritz's truly tasteless jokes.

Yeah lore_weaver and so did some person calling themselves The Athiest Conservative. I was all swizzled and swooning about this rigorous ethical stance until I read the comments where the little ones were peeing all over themselves downplaying the utter ghastliness that is the agri minister. Oh, and i believe they also gurgled something about Mulroney and drinking Liberals because somehow that makes laughing about dead Canadians OK. What, you want a medal or something for being one of the outliers on conservative unethics curve?